Possible bulldogs v eels first round...

[parra-all-the-way]

PREMIERS the Bulldogs will kick-off the 2005 season with a feature match to be played on Friday night of round one at Telstra Stadium, Homebush.

NRL officials are yet to determine the opposition but last night revealed the Bulldogs would play the season opener.

The game will not, however, be a grand final replay against the Sydney Roosters.

Potential opponents would be Penrith, Parramatta or St George Illawarra.

"We will be opening the season with a major game involving the defending premiers," NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said last night.

"The match we hope will create enormous interest and fabulous television ratings."

Asked who the Dogs would play, Annesley said: "That hasn't been worked out yet.

"It will be a feature game but it won't be a grand final replay.

"We see that [grand final replay] as a stand-alone game which we'll probably put on after a month or so of the competition when all teams get back into form.

"We haven't locked a date in yet for the grand final replay."

The Bulldogs plan to return to training on November 15.

The NRL is also planning a 1970s weekend - similar to the '80s round of football played this year.

Annesley said the complete draw would be released in coming weeks.

The NRL annual conference is set down for the first week of December.




Is this a worry, or good to knock off the premiers in the first round....

 

[Twizzle]

the sooner we smash them, the better

 

[Utey]

I dont think so. I would have liked to have them around 12th round. I think unless we gel quickly they will outclass us however it will good to see how badly they go seeing as they lost a few players.

 

[Stagger eel]

yeah!! first round why not???..infatc would love to have the hardest games possible in the first 6 weeks because it's vulnerable time of the year of all clubs who are still feeling a bit rusty.

 

[Utey]

I dont know about you but I would like an easy team just to settle the boys and give them some confidence. For the last 3 years we have been given bulldogs, knights etc in the first 5 rounds and just havnt come back from a few defeats. But now that Iam thinking of it, how good would it be if we smashed em.

 

[Jake the snake]

Clubs reach form after round 6-7, But we owe the f**king cheats one so why not start the season on a good note by smashing the SCUM from Bankstown.

 

[Utey]

 

[parra-all-the-way]

here, here jake....

 

[True EEL]

yeah but wouldn't it be super if we got smashed by 40 again in Round 1???

its all about perspective - we have to get off to a good start next year or a similar pattern to the last couple of years could very easily emereg??

 

[Glen]

I'd like to smash them first round, but the first round last year really seemed to set a bad tone for the season

 

[Agent Mulder]

If we play the Bulldogs again the 1st round they will smash us again by 40.

 

[Stagger eel]

yeah but wouldn't it be super if we got smashed by 40 again in Round 1???

its all about perspective - we have to get off to a good start next year or a similar pattern to the last couple of years could very easily emereg??

if we lost by 6 and were still very competative! I would say it's a decent start, we need to back our selves early.

 

[True EEL]

of course we need to back oursleves

but in reality.....losing by 6 points in Round 1 against the Premiers (whoever they may be) and being very competitive with a new team that hasn't gelled yet......would to me be almost as good as a win

of course win would be better, but i would certainly prey for the above scenario rather than another shallacking to set the tone for another dodgy year

 

[Utey]

Woah relax. Actually sound positive for once. We may very well have a better year than we have had in the previous 2 seasons but I highly doubt 40 points will be what we lose by if we lose. I think next year on our game we will be able to challenge the best and why not be tested by the premiers.

 

[PJ Marshal]

70's weekend yay

i think the players should all be made to play in flares that weekend

 

[Jake the snake]

BRING ON THE cheating BULLSCUMMERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Eelementary]

PREMIERS the Bulldogs will kick-off the 2005 season with a feature match to be played on Friday night of round one at Telstra Stadium, Homebush.

NRL officials are yet to determine the opposition but last night revealed the Bulldogs would play the season opener.

The game will not, however, be a grand final replay against the Sydney Roosters.

Potential opponents would be Penrith, Parramatta or St George Illawarra.

"We will be opening the season with a major game involving the defending premiers," NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said last night.

"The match we hope will create enormous interest and fabulous television ratings."
Asked who the Dogs would play, Annesley said: "That hasn't been worked out yet.

"It will be a feature game but it won't be a grand final replay.

"We see that [grand final replay] as a stand-alone game which we'll probably put on after a month or so of the competition when all teams get back into form.

"We haven't locked a date in yet for the grand final replay."

The Bulldogs plan to return to training on November 15.

The NRL is also planning a 1970s weekend - similar to the '80s round of football played this year.

Annesley said the complete draw would be released in coming weeks.

The NRL annual conference is set down for the first week of December.




Is this a worry, or good to knock off the premiers in the first round....

Sounds like the Eels V Bulldogs for sure!

And that's a good thing - I bet the boys will be REAL keen on getting revenge after this year's performance.

 

[Eelementary]

One thing is for sure - WHEREVER it's at, let's all go out there and yell our heads off!

WOOOOOO!!!!!

GO THE EELS!!

Man I'm pumped already!

 

[Eelementary]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this (feel free to abuse me later if you feel like doing so and I'm wrong):

I see no reason why we can't be ultra-competitive and maybe even win the game.

Why?

What did we lack last year - the main points? Let us not discuss the halfback issue yet, because, as of yet, it is still unresolved:

* Lack of dummy half penetration

* Lack of go-forward

* Lack of offensive weapons

Next year we will have a very much improved forward pack, an excellent dummy half rotation and some awesome backline players - Grothe, Tahu, Ben Smith, Davis (when he comes), etc.

I really think we can look forward to, at the very least, a competitive game.

 

[Utey]

At least Wagon wont be in the halves #-o